More than 1,000 turn out for casino gaming panel in Saratoga Springs

More than 1,000 people turned out at the Saratoga Springs City Center Monday night for a panel discussion on proposed Las Vegas-style gaming at Saratoga Casino and Raceway.
ERIC JENKS — THE SARATOGIAN

SARATOGA SPRINGS >> More than 1,000 people braved Monday night’s frigid temperatures to discuss the hottest topic in town: should live Las Vegas-style gaming be allowed at Saratoga Casino & Raceway.

Fourteen panelists discussed the proposed facility’s potential impacts on downtown retail shops, restaurants, hotels and key institutions such as Saratoga Race Course, Saratoga Performing Arts Center and the City Center, where the casino forum was held.

City Center President Mark Baker gave the most chilling assessment, saying the casino’s planned 24,000-square-foot event space could cost the City Center one-third of its first-quarter convention business, drawing an estimated 34,600 people away from downtown.

“It would put much of what we’ve accomplished at risk,” he said.

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But casino officials said they’ll do everything possible to partner with and promote local business. Vice President for Marketing Rita Cox said customers would be drawn to Saratoga as well as the casino. “It’s imperative for us to make sure downtown continues to thrive,” she said.

In January, the state Gaming Commission is expected to name a selection committee charged with deciding where four full-scale casinos will be located in upstate New York. It’s believed that a request for applications will be issued in March with completed proposals submitted to the state early next summer.

Decisions would likely be forthcoming later in 2014.

Saratoga Casino & Raceway is considered a leading contender because it has an existing facility that could be upgraded more quickly than building a new site from scratch, thus generating increased revenue for the state in a shorter time frame.

The casino plans to break ground next spring on a $40 million expansion that includes a 120-room hotel, fine dining and the controversial event space. Cox declined comment when Baker asked if the casino would consider limiting its size and seating capacity.

The venue would be 4,000 square feet larger than the City Center’s main hall, and have the added bonus of lucrative gaming revenue to offset rental fees. Most casinos, by nature, offer guests discounted room rates and low-cost food, beverage and entertainment so that people spend more money on the gaming floor.

But casino vice president George “Skip” Carlson said Saratoga isn’t Las Vegas or Atlantic City, which have numerous casinos competing for customers, so Saratoga’s prices would be comparable to other local hotels and restaurants.

SPAC President Marcia White said the casino should be made to enter a partnership agreement that protects existing entertainment venues.

“We are not anti-casino, we are just looking for a fair game,” she said.

Prominent thoroughbred horseman Joseph McMahon said table games shouldn’t be allowed until after the racecourse closes. Saratoga Race Course saw a slight dip in attendance this year despite a major 150th anniversary celebration, and McMahon said he’s concerned that table games could erode that fan base even more.

In decades past, casinos on Saratoga Lake didn’t open until the evening, he said. Asked if that was a possibility, Carlson said it was doubtful but that he would forward McMahon’s request.

The state selection committee will consider public sentiment in considering where casinos would be located. The anti-casino group Save Saratoga says it has collected more than 2,000 signatures of people opposed to expanded gaming. In the November election, 54 percent of residents countywide, including 57 percent of Saratoga Springs residents, voted against the constitutional amendment to allow full-scale casinos.

The forum was organized by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce and the Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau.

Earlier Monday, Save Saratoga protested their denial to be on the panel discussion. Chamber President Todd Shimkus said the group’s concerns, from business impacts to problem gambling, were already being addressed by panelists.

Nearly a dozen local hotel owners and managers met recently to discuss the proposed casino. While voicing concerns, Brian Straughter, of Turf Hotels, said the group would also rather see a casino in Saratoga than elsewhere in the Capital District, which could lure business and jobs away from the Spa City.

Under Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal, the Capital Region, which includes Saratoga, is expected to get one casino. Two will likely go the Catskills with one more in the Southern Tier-Finger Lakes area.

Saratoga’s harness track casino was the first one to open in New York, in January 2004. Before then the raceway had 125 jobs and raced 129 days with $2.9 million in purses. It now employs 630 people not counting 300 horse-related jobs, and races 170 days with $15 million in purses.

“We were on the verge of extinction 10 years ago,” Carlson said. “We’ve been a good community partner. Going forward I think we can work with everyone in this room.”